From 3 to 17 February 2017 the design-informed peer review with World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) expertsХ participation had been going at Kola NPP.

According to the Head of the expert team Jan Nanio, the main goal was to look at the plant operation, to identify the best practices and for their part to share the best world experience. ТWeХve found eight strong spheres here concerning maintenance, labor protection, engineer support, radiation safety, and chemistry, which could be replicated at other nuclear power plantsУ, he emphasized.


Expert opinion is very important for the plant personnel. According to the Kola NPP Plant Manager Vasiliy Omelchuk, for the last 5 years there were 12 missions of technical support, and IAEA and WANO peer reviews held at Kola NPP, as well as several pre-visits and working meetings to exchange experience in various activities.

The previous review became unique in its own way. It was held under the new methodology, which includes more thorough expert training by introducing them to key information on the reviewed plant features at the preparatory stage. After analyzing the information, the experts can identify priority areas in advance leading to more detailed analysis and better practices.

ТThis kind of design-informed peer review was conducted in Russia for the first timeУ, Vasiliy Omelchuk emphasized. ТWe have learned a lot about what we need to do. On the other hand, weХve shared our own experience.У


At the final briefing the Deputy Director of WANO Moscow Center Sergey Frolov noted, ТWe help the nuclear power plants to determine how to achieve the best results using the best practices. In the course of the previous review we noted vast positive changes. We donХt just make observations, but also look for a lot of positive things and take them into consideration. Our collaborative success is shown in absolute openness of Kola NPP, in particular for external experts. This indicates that the plant is confident in its strengths. We have seen that the nuclear power plant has a very productive relation environment with repair contractors. This experience will be used at other Russian and foreign nuclear power plants. In addition, Paris Center wants to adopt the idea of one of the strongest sides of the Kola NPP, which is the use of under crane economy.У
In conclusion of the final meeting the Head of the WANO expert team presented preliminary report on the executed work to the Kola NPP Plant Manager V.V. Omelchuk.

Final official document will be ready in two months; it will be given to the Director General of the Rosenergoatom Concern JSC Andrey Petrov in Moscow.

The expert team consisted of the experts from Armenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, India, Russia, the USA, Ukraine and Sweden. Yan Nanio Р the R&D specialist of Slovenske elektrarne Slovak company Рcoordinated expertsХ actions.

WANO experts have worked in the following areas: organization and administration; maintenance; repairs; engineer and technical support; operating experience; radiation protection; emergency protection; personnel training and qualification.
After analyzing the information obtained at Kola NPP the experts have identified priority areas for the Kola NPP personnel to focus their efforts to improve and determine the positive practices for their usage at other nuclear power plants.

The Kolsk NPP is an affiliate of Rosenergoatom Concern JSC and is based 200 km to the south from the city of Murmansk, at the Imandra lakeside. The plant produces around 60% of the Murmansk Region electric power. It has 4 operational power blocks with VVER-type reactors, each of them having capacity of 440 megawatt. The Kolsk NPP supplies electric power to the Murmansk Region and Karelia.


Kolsk NPP Information and Public Relations Administration.